The kidney transplant was very successful. We are so grateful.  The kidney began functioning on the operation table.  Hayley did well in recovery until they started the anti rejection medication.  It made her blood pressure go up and she became nauseated.  She came home 2 days after the transplant but went back in a couple of days later because of the side effects of the medication.  She was given a transfusion that helped some.  (And more meds to help counter the necessary meds).

Her cousin Leslie, did well also.  She had a lot of nausea for several days after the operation.  She is a brave soul and a generous person.  We hope her blessings are a thousand fold for her gift.  We hope and pray that her life will not be lacking for the loss of a kidney.

Hayleys blood pressure continues to be extremely high.  Sometimes the old kidneys continue to send a message to the heart that they are insufficient and it keeps the blood pressure high.  If this is the case, the docs have to go in and remove the other 2 kidneys.  We are hoping this will not be necessary.

Successful Transplant

At 4 am this morning Hayley and her mom headed for Mayo clinic in Phoenix.  Hayley met her cousin Leslie Aaron Locke and spent a little time in the prep room together.  They then took the girls to their seperate operating rooms where one team of doctors removed the kidney from Leslie and took it down the hall to where another team of doctors put it in Hayley (they do not remove the damaged kidneys).  Immediately the kidney began to function.

While the girls are sore and recovering they are doing great.
Hayley has a new life with a bright future and Leslie will be blest for her gift of charity which is the greatest gift of all.

Thank you for all your prayers and fasting.  They were felt and accepted.

Hayley's cousin Leslie Aaron Locke has been approved to donate a kidney for Hayley.  That will happen on April 2nd 2013.  Hayley is so very excited to not have to do her dialysis anymore.  She will be on anti rejection medicine the rest of her life.  They has many side affects. Some of those are painful for Hayley to face.
We are very greatful for Leslie.  It is a gift of compassion.  There are no perks for her.  She will live with one kidney and a scar. She is a beautiful girl inside and out.

Hayley went to the kidney doctor today. He told her that the Wegeners disease was no longer found in her blood.  Previous he said that it was in remission.  That meant it was there but dormant. Today it is completely gone.  I guess that is very unusual for an auto immune to be completely gone.  We are very grateful.  So far Leslie has passed the tests she has taken to qualify for donation.

Lots To Hope For

Hayley was accepted to Mayo to test for possible kidney transplant.  She is a great candidate.  The first Mayo doctor looked at Hayley and her chart and knew immediately that she had Wegeners.  Where was he all these years???  He was so encouraging for her future.

Annalyn, Hayley's younger sister has been testing to donate her kidney.  It has been trying as she has had to leave school and come over for about 30 different tests.  She failed one test and they wanted to retest her.  Meanwhile mom started feeling like Annalyn may not be the one the Lord intended to donate.  Jace, her brother has been persistent in wanting to donate as well as many others.  It is a sweet act of charity to offer. (The doctors want someone very close to her age or younger for best results) but non-the-less Hayley prayed and was told that there was someone else.  Leslie, a cousin meanwhile had a dream and saw herself in the hospital having just donated her kidney to Hayley.  Mom called her a couple weeks ago and asked her if she was ready just in case.  She said "I have been waiting for you to call.  I know I am the one to do this.  I have just been keeping Hayley's kidney warm for her".

Today we got word that the retest Annalyn did last week was one point away from acceptance.  She got an 89 the first time and 90 the second.  She has to have a 91 to pass.  There is nothing wrong with her just that at this time she needs both her kidneys to achieve maximum function.

We are now looking for Leslie to go through the many tests.  What a sweet sacrifice.  Meanwhile Hayley is doing 3 to 4 dialysis treatments a day.  She is working and staying active.  She still hopes for a miracle of recovery but is willing to be healed through a transplant.

When I took Hayley to the Doctor last week he looked at her last lab results and then with much emotion said to me, "Why doesn't she have any iron?"  I sheepishly said "I don't know".  He obviously was upset.  They dripped 2 bags of iron into her in the hospital but the concern is growing as to why she is not retaining it. But at least they let her leave the hospital.  We were grateful for that.

She is to see a GI doctor to see if he can figure out what is wrong.  We also start the training in dialysis this week and will have 4 long days of information and doctor appointments and training at Mayo next week.   Mayo sent us an agenda with every minute accounted for.  They may not be so anxious to get started when they learn that she has no iron.  Just a thought.

Life if good and Hayley knows she will be normal and healthy and well some day soon.

The surgery went well and Hayley is in recovery. We are hoping she will be able to come home tonight but won't know till late tonight.  She will now be able to begin dialysis at home in the next 2 weeks.  She is going into Mayo just after Thanksgiving to start the long process for transplant.  She and her mom will do 4 long days of training and appointments to make the preparations.  We will then search for any volunteers for a donated kidney that fit the right criteria.  As always Hayley is in good spirits, a little discouraged because she was hoping she would not have to go through this. She knows she will live a normal healthy life and have a family and that gets her through.